1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bed support mechanisms and, more particularly, to a bed support mechanism having at least two substantially identical members that are adjustably connected for supporting a variety of bed widths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bed frames provide a pleasing appearance while supporting the mattress and/or bedspring resulting in longer life for the bed and a more comfortable feel for the user. The traditional western bed design includes a frame having two side rails running between a headboard and a footboard that support the mattress and bedspring along its edges. Slats extend between the side rails providing support for the bed interior, which is particularly necessary as a majority of the weight placed upon the bed, is in the middle, away from the edges. However, previously available bed support mechanisms have a number of disadvantages.
There are currently numerous different bed width designs available on the market. For example, common bed widths include a double having about a fifty-four inch width, a queen having about a sixty-inch width, a California king having about a seventy-six inch width, and a king having about a seventy-eight inch width. Therefore, a manufacturer who makes these four separate bed designs is required to manufacture and stock four separate sizes of bed supports. Additionally, there may be manufacturing variances in the widths which require the support mechanisms to be adjustable. For example, a sixty inch bed may have manufacturing variances resulting in the width actually extending between about fifty-nine to sixty-one inches.
Another drawback of previous support mechanisms is placing an interior foot or feet that extend from the bed slats to the floor to help support the bed. Many previous designs require the user to place the interior feet at the proper position along the length of the support length to support the interior of the bed. If the placement is incorrect, such as too far or too close to the side rails, there is little support which may result in the bed slat failing. Additionally, many previous designs utilized pivotable interior feet. The drawback of this design is that if the bed were to slide laterally, the interior feet may pivot upward so as not to support the interior of the bed.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved bed support mechanism which provides support for beds of various widths while, at the same time, includes adjustable height interior feet to provide support to the interior of the bed.